Kendry Flores

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #5 prospect in 2016
  With Andrew Heaney traded and Justin Nicolino graduated, Flores stands as the highest-ranked of a group of strike-throwing, command-over-stuff prospects the Marlins had accumulated. Miami added the control artist in a trade that sent Casey McGehee to the Giants in December 2014, and after starting 2015 at Double-A Jacksonville, he got a big league callup in June, one of two short stints with the Marlins. Flores has nearly four strikeouts for every walk as a professional, which stems from above-average control of a four-pitch mix. He works at 88-91 mph and touches 93 as a starter, pitching aggressively in the strike zone despite his modest velocity. He mixes in a changeup that grades as a tick above-average and that he feels confident throwing in any count. Flores adds and subtracts better than any pitcher in the organization, helping his fastball play up. His low- to mid-80s slider and upper-70s curveball also can flash average, but both lack consistent depth. Flores is athletic and has a clean delivery, with a slight hesitation at the start that makes him more difficult to time. Without a plus pitch and not much projection, Flores profiles as a back-end starter, though he worked out of the bullpen with the Marlins. He seems destined to head back to Triple-A New Orleans to start 2016.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #17 prospect in 2015
  Flores has always been able to pitch, and he put together a dominant season at low Class A Augusta in 2013 that included a 15-strikeout, no-walk gem that ranked among the best starts in the minors all season, but scouts had a hard time projecting much success for a pitcher who generally threw 87-90 mph two-seamers. A year later, Flores looks much more intriguing, after he dialed his four-seamer up to 92-94 mph on a regular basis at high Class A San Jose, giving him a tick above-average fastball to go with his tick above-average changeup that he can throw at any point in the count. He varies his velocity from pitch to pitch, taking some off and adding some to mess with timing. Flores also mixes in a less-consistent slider and curveball that both flash average. His delivery is clean, with little effort, and he has a pause at the start of the delivery that makes it harder to time him. Flores has the ability to be a back-end starter. He's headed for Double-A Richmond in 2015 after finishing 2014 sidelined by a shoulder injury.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #14 prospect in 2014
  Flores was well regarded as a hard-throwing teenager but wasn't able to maintain his velocity. His stuff didn't miss bats in two years at short-season Salem-Keizer and few thought he'd be much better at low Class A Augusta in 2013, his fifth pro season. But Flores turned out to be the biggest surprise in the system, posting an unreal 8.1 SO/BB ratio that topped all minor league ERA qualifiers. In an Aug. 21 start at Lexington he struck out 15 (with no walks), and he consistently outperformed 2012 first-rounder Chris Stratton atop Augusta's rotation. Flores never had a problem throwing strikes from a deliberate delivery. Getting his unremarkable, 87-90 mph fastball past hitters was the bigger issue. He doesn't have much projection, but he reliably hits the outside corner and has excellent feel for his changeup. For that reason, he actually was more effective against lefthanders. His curveball has the makings of a plus pitch but it isn't consistent. Flores still has youth on his side and coaches noted he carried himself with more confidence as he strung together one good starter after another. Even if he doesn't add any velocity, Flores will need to get more movement on his two-seamer since his flyball tendencies might not translate so well to the high Class A Cal League in 2104.